This Crockpot Meatloaf Recipe is a comfort food classic made easier in the slow cooker. It’s perfectly moist, packed with flavor, and takes a quick 10 minutes to prep!
Love meatloaf? Check out my Sheet Pan Mini Meatloaf and Roasted Potatoes, this juicy Easy Turkey Meatloaf, or this Air Fryer Meatloaf!
Table of Contents
- Why we love this easy Slow Cooker Meatloaf:
- Crockpot Meatloaf recipe ingredients:
- See what people are saying
- How to make this easy Crockpot Meatloaf recipe:
- How to store:
- How to freeze:
- Make-ahead option:
- Tips and Notes for Crockpot Meatloaf
- Serving Suggestions
- More Crockpot Dinners
- Crockpot Meatloaf recipe Recipe
This Crockpot Meatloaf Recipe is a ridiculously easy slow cooker recipe! Just mix everything, form a loaf, and set it in the crockpot to cook.
The great thing about Crockpot Meatloaf is that it really is so hard to mess up. Traditional meatloaf has a reputation for being somewhat dry. Well, make it in the crockpot and say goodbye to dry meatloaf. The low and slow cooking time creates an incredibly moist, tender meatloaf.
It is still loaded with flavor with a sweet and tangy glaze that takes it over the top!
Why we love this easy Slow Cooker Meatloaf:
- Easy cleanup: Because we’re only using the slow cooker for this recipe, you only have one dish to clean up!
- Go-to dinner recipe: This low-effort meal is perfect for busy days because dinner is ready when you get home!
- True comfort meal: Meatloaf is one of those comfort meals that never gets old.
Crockpot Meatloaf recipe ingredients:
- Ground Beef and Ground Pork: 85-93% fat is perfect, with enough moisture to stay juicy but not too greasy. You can swap some for chicken or turkey if you prefer, and ground Italian sausage would add great flavor as well!
- Parmesan Cheese: adds lots of flavor!
- Eggs: bind the meatloaf ingredients together to help hold its shape.
- Seasonings: Italian seasoning, salt, onion powder, black pepper. You can also use finely diced onion in place of the onion powder if you prefer.
- Breadcrumbs: I use seasoned breadcrumbs to add even more flavor. They combine with the milk to act as our glue 😀
- Milk: soaks into the breadcrumbs to give the meatloaf structure and add tons of moisture.
- Meatloaf Glaze: ketchup, brown sugar, ground mustard — perfectly sweet and tangy!
See what people are saying
“Definitely the best meatloaf that I have ever made! The only issue that I had personally was that I felt it needed more ketchup to make the glaze. I just upped the amounts a little to make some more. Thank you for this fantastic recipe 🙂” Colette
How to make this easy Crockpot Meatloaf recipe:
This Crockpot Meatloaf recipe takes a quick 10 minutes to prepare before cooking! For the full list of recipe instructions, scroll down to the recipe card:
- In a large mixing bowl, make the meatloaf mixture. In another large bowl, combine breadcrumbs and milk. Mix the two until just combined — don’t overwork it!
- In a separate bowl, mix together ketchup, brown sugar, and ground mustard to make your glaze.
- Make an aluminum foil sling and place it at the booth of the slow cooker. Form the meat into a loaf shape and place it in the crockpot.
- Spoon some of the glaze over the top of the meatloaf. Cover the crockpot and cook on the low setting.
How to store:
Leftover meatloaf will last covered in the fridge for 2-3 days or wrapped tightly in the freezer for up to 3 months. To reheat, thaw in the fridge if frozen, then cover with foil and warm in the oven (I recommend a low temperature, around 250-300 degrees F) until heated through.
How to freeze:
To freeze leftover meatloaf, cool completely, then wrap individual slices in plastic wrap. Place them in a bag or container and store. When you’re ready to eat, you can thaw only as many slices as you want to serve!
Make-ahead option:
Need to make this recipe ahead of time? You have two options:
- Prep the meat mixture and shape into a loaf. Line the crockpot with the foil sling and place the loaf inside. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 1-2 days before cooking.
- Wrap the unbaked meatloaf in plastic wrap and again in foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. Allow it to thaw in the fridge for at least 24 hours before cooking it in the slow cooker.
Tips and Notes for Crockpot Meatloaf
- Use lean meat. Since the low and slow cooking method is less likely to dry the meatloaf out, I often use lean ground beef and lean ground pork.
- Grease the pot. Before adding the meatloaf to the crockpot, spray both the pot and the foil with nonstick spray to prevent the meatloaf from sticking.
- Check the temp. After 5 hours, check to see if the internal temperature of the meatloaf is 160ºF. If it isn’t, cook for another 30-60 minutes.
- Let it rest. Allow the meatloaf to sit for 10-15 minutes before slicing into it to let the flavor and juices settle back in.
Serving Suggestions
This Crockpot Meatloaf is a classic comfort food meal that’s perfect with pretty much any of your favorite side dishes.
I love Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Homemade Mac and Cheese, Green Beans with Bacon, or Roasted Potatoes and Carrots!
Of course, no dinner table is complete without a basket of Mom’s Homemade Buns or these ultra-fluffy dinner rolls.
More Crockpot Dinners
Crockpot Meatloaf recipe
written by Ashley Fehr
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 pound lean ground pork
- ½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon onion powder or 1 small finely diced onion
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¾ cup dried seasoned bread crumbs (about 80 grams)
- ½ cup milk
- ⅓ cup ketchup
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- ¼ teaspoon ground mustard
Instructions
- In a large bowl combine ground beef, ground pork, Parmesan, eggs, Italian seasoning, salt, onion powder and black pepper.
- In a medium bowl, combine bread crumbs and milk. Add to the meat mixture and mix just until combined.
- Create a foil sling for your meatloaf by folding a large piece of tin foil until you have a piece about 3 inches wide and long enough to sit on the bottom of the crockpot and reach up the sides. Place it in the crockpot. Spray the crockpot and foil with non stick spray.
- Shape your meatloaf mixture into an oval and place on top of the foil sling.
- Stir together the glaze: ketchup, brown sugar, ground mustard. Spoon about ⅓ of the glaze on top of the meatloaf, being careful not to contaminate the batch by touching the uncooked meat and then touching the remaining glaze.
- Put the lid on and cook for 5 hours on low.
- Check the temperature to ensure it has reached a minimum 160 degrees F. If not, continue cooking 30-60 minutes.
- Scrape off any excess fat on the sides of the meatloaf and brush on the remaining glaze. Remove from the slow cooker and let rest for at least 10 minutes before slicing.
Notes
- You can substitute fresh, fine bread crumbs for dried, but you will need only ¼ cup milk for the same amount of crumbs.
- You can swap the ground beef and/or pork for turkey, chicken or Italian sausage.
- You can leave out the Parmesan if you prefer, but it does add a savory, salty flavor that can’t be beat.
- You can swap the onion powder for fresh, finely chopped onion (about ½ cup)
- To bake in the oven: place in a casserole dish and bake for 1 hour-1.5 hours at 375 degrees F. The exact cook time will vary depending on how thick and how wide your meatloaf is.
Nutrition Information
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Mellie says
I just found a meatloaf recipe for the crockpot!!
I haven’t made meatloaf in almost 2 decades because I didn’t have the right pan – one that nestles in another with holes in the nesting bit to let the grease drip through. My daughter has never had meatloaf in her life, and that is an oversight soon to be corrected.
I even have a few boxes of Kraft mac & cheese to pair with it (Rosie loves mac & cheese, so I haven’t fully failed as a parent) to fully recreate the dish of my youth. Complete with green beans! But from frozen, not a can *shudder*
I am going to work it into next week’s menu rotation. I’m ridiculously excited!
If this recipe works, the next step is to acquire some Lipton onion soup mix (I live in Europe now and it’s not readily available) and make mash so I can relive the quintessential meatloaf experience – meatloaf dipped in mashed potatoes *omnomnomnom*
I’ve been following you for a bit on FB, just now checking out your recipe index.
Ashley Fehr says
Thank you so much Mellie! Enjoy!
Michele Donahoe says
I truly hope you enjoy. I haven’t had a y in at least a decade as well. I too plan on trying this as well. Funny thing, Meatloaf is my favorite, next to stroganoff. Bon appetit.
Laura says
Another 5 star recipe Ashley!!! I made this for the first time tonight for me and my husband. Absolutely delicious!!!!! Best meatloaf recipe ever.
I used 1 pound of 80/20 ground beef and 1 pound of ground sausage. Flavorful, delicious and moist. I sprayed the inside of the crock pot with non stick spray and did not use the foil. The meatloaf did not stick to the bottom of the crockpot and was easily transferred to a serving platter using 2 spatulas. My husband is already looking forward to the next crockpot recipe of yours. Thank you again!!!!
Ashley Fehr says
Thank you Laura!
Sally Sturman says
I can’t make any of your recipes they are all covered by ads.
Perhaps that’s on purpose
The Recipe Rebel says
I’m truly sorry for any inconvenience the ads caused you, Sally! I will certainly keep paying close attention to the number of ads and how they load, as I never want them to hinder your ability to view the recipe or the blog post. There is a quick and convenient “jump to recipe” button that will help you get to the recipe faster and a print button to have the recipe quickly at your fingertips. Hope this helps!
Annette says
I just tried this and it’s my new favorite. I didn’t use any Italian seasoning, nonstick spray, or foil. I plan to increase the sauce next time…it was so good. Thank you!
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Annette! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Marie says
I have a couple of questions, have u ever tried putting oats in instead of bread?? 2) can u use just hamburger instead of half pork half hamburger?? 3) what if I make a 3lb meatloaf could I slow cook that??
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Marie, I have not tried it with oats. You probably could use just hamburger but the flavor won’t be the same as the recipe listed. I’m sure you could do 3lbs, it just really depends on the size of the crockpot.
Ryan Funaro says
what about using 1lb meat instead of 2lbs?
The Recipe Rebel says
You could try that!
Colette says
Definitely the best meatloaf that I have ever made! The only issue that I had personally was that I felt it needed more ketchup to make the glaze. I just upped the amounts a little to make some more. Thank you for this fantastic recipe 🙂
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Colette! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
JanDoe says
Would it work to cook potatoes in the slow cooker at the same time with the meatloaf?
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi JanDoe! I haven’t tested it out this way, if you decide to experiment let me know how it goes!
Connie C. says
You can never go wrong with Ashley’s recipes. She’s an excellent 5 star all the way in her recipes. This meatloaf is absolutely loaded with flavor and never dries out. Trust me you won’t be disappointed in this recipe. One of my all time favorites of hers. Thanks Ashley for all of your great recipes. 5 star all the way……
The Recipe Rebel says
Thank you so much Connie!